All Along
by alyssialui
Summary: Padma realizes what she thought she wanted isn't what she needed. Dean/Padma.
1. Chapter 1

_A/N: Padma realizes what she thought she wanted isn't what she needed. This will become a two-shot, because I want to put the ending I intended in its own chapter. Padma's ex is no one important, just the typical 'dream man'._

_Submission for:_

_**DECEMBER Fanfiction Scavenger Hunt Competition: **A non-canon pairing - Dean/Padma_

_**The "As Many As You Want" Competition: **"You know you love me", "Write me a song", Dean/Padma, "I don't love you anymore", "There are plenty of other fish in the sea", "The stars are the streetlights to eternity"_

_Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter._

* * *

"Write me a song," he had said as he approached me at my piano on the stage of the little night cafe I worked at. It was a slow night so I didn't mind as he began to chat me up while the patrons were ordering their drinks at the counter. I smiled widely as he spoke, telling me everything I wanted to hear and not knowing that it was probably too good to be true.

He spoke of ambitious endeavours to become something greater than just a Ministry official. He spoke of his love of the outdoors and his trips into the mountains once a month. He spoke of his downtime and how he would visit his mother to check in on her. Ambitious, adventurous and down-to-earth. He had checked all the boxes in that short fifteen minute conversation by the piano.

"You know you love me," he said with a chuckle, his words coming off as charming and confident instead of arrogant and cocky. I blushed and playfully shoved his arm. Who wouldn't love the man of their dreams? I hadn't dated for a couple months at that time, and for someone like him to just fall into my lap, I jumped at the chance.

Phone numbers were exchanged and dates were taken. At first it was fun and magical. He took me to places I had never been and showed me things I had never seen. But I also saw another side to him, a crueller side. A side which blew up at the littlest things, a side that cared not really for my needs as long as his were satisfied (inimately and not) and a side which stomped all over my heart when I caught him in bed with another woman.

"I don't love you anymore," he finally came out and said to me at the cafe. It had been a week since we had last spoken when I had caught him, and a week since I had gone back to work at the piano.

"I think that much was obvious," I spat, trying my hardest not to cry as I spun away from him and left him by my instrument. I wished my sister was there at that moment. She would have known what to do. She would have probably thrown her drink all over his head. She was the hothead and the one who took action, while I usually just sulked when things got to me. But she was living her own life with her own boyfriend, while I had just stormed away from an ex and was reliving the betrayal in my heart.

I had walked out onto the deck at the back of the cafe, leaning over the railing and just gazing up at the stars. I was so lost in thought and self-loathing, wondering what had happened, why did I let him lure me in, if it was it my fault he had done what he had done, that I didn't notice someone join me on my right.

"They say the stars are the streetlights to eternity. They guide us on our journeys through life, whether we want them to or not," the newcomer said sagely.

I turned to him with slight recognition in my eyes. It was Dean Thomas from school, a closer friend to my sister than me, and someone I hadn't seen in more than five years.

"I saw what happened back there," he said, pointing a thumb over his shoulder. I blushed, embarrassed that someone may have seen my unfortunate conversation.

"No, don't be that way. People make mistakes and choose the wrong partners. There are plenty of other fish in the sea," he said encouragingly.

I rolled my eyes and said bitterly, "I must be horrible at fishing then because I haven't caught a good one."

Then he smiled and slipped his hand into mine. "Well, it seemed you just caught me."

* * *

As it turned out, he had been coming to the club for awhile now, always coming to watch me play but never doing anything because he knew I was unavailable. However, once he was sure I was free, he took his chance.

Dean wasn't ambitious as my ex and was happy with his desk job at Gringotts. Dean preferred the city life to the outdoors, and loved to take me into Muggle London, which though a normal event for him, was an adventure for me. He catered to me like a queen, but wasn't afraid to tell me I was wrong. He was always calm and collected but there were moments he would get into messes with his best friend, Seamus, which were always fun in retrospect. Dean had become the best thing in my life without even trying.

I walked from the kitchen of our shared flat and threw myself down onto the couch next to him, placing a soft kiss on his cheek as he started our movie. Friday was movie night, a tradition we started after he introduced me to the wonders of Muggle films, and tonight was a personal favourite, "Sound of Music"

The movie ended and I turned to find him sleeping beside me, his head thrown back over the edge of the couch. It was always difficult for him to get through a musical, but he still watched them with me. I smiled and placed another soft kiss on his cheek as I rose with the empty popcorn bowl. It's funny how you realize the things you thought you wanted aren't what you need. I found out what I needed in life: Dean.


	2. Chapter 2

_A/N: Padma's ex makes a reappearance and it's Dean to the rescue. Dean/Padma. A continuation though I don't think I'm finished with this still._

_Also a submission for:_

_**Ship Til You Drop Bi-weekly Competition: **Round Three - Dean/Padma_

* * *

I felt nervous as I stood to the side of the stage, the chatter of the cafe patrons muffled by the thick burgundy curtain to my right. Tonight was a special night for me. Rumours were that an important music critic was out there in the audience tonight. If he liked my performance, then it could be the start of my career. It had to be perfect. I had to play my heart out, pour my soul into the keys and give it my all. I just have to calm down a bit.

"Hello there," a familiar voice said from behind me but I couldn't place it. However when I turned toward around, my nervous smile fell into a hard scowl. Why did he have to show up to ruin my night?

"It's you," I spat as the person stepped closer into the light. "What are you doing here?"

"Calm down," he said, giving me his usually charming smile that would have sent weaker girls to their knees, but not me, not again. "I was just about to leave before I saw you looking a bit flustered."

He stepped closer to me and placed a warm hand on my arm, freezing me in my spot as he leaned in close to my ear. "You look very beautiful tonight, my dear," he said, his breath tickling my neck. "Why did I ever give you up?" he asked as his mouth came closer to my skin.

"Is this guy bothering you?" Dean asked as he came up behind us, the answer to my silent prayers. I quickly moved to stand to his side and out of my ex's reach.

"No, not at all," he said, his eyes darting to Dean's face and the possessive hand on my waist. "Just wishing her good luck tonight," he ended before ducking back out beyond the curtain and off the platform.

A shudder ran through my body as soon as he left and I turned my face into Dean's chest. He rubbed a soothing hand across my back as I calmed my racing heart. I had felt so helpless and I don't know what would've happened if Dean hadn't showed up when he did.

Dean made a few comforting sounds before he asked me, "Are you okay? Did he hurt you?"

I shook my head. "I'm fine. I'm just glad you're here now."


End file.
